March Garden Prep: Essential Tasks for a Thriving Spring Garden
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn
The garden's finally waking up! After months of dreary winter weather, March brings those first promising signs that spring is on its way. This is when I dust off my gardening gloves and get stuck in – because what we do now sets the stage for the entire growing season.
As a busy mum juggling work, a teenager, and trying to keep some semblance of order at home, I've learned to focus on the garden tasks that truly matter this month. These are my tried-and-tested March gardening essentials that work regardless of whether you've got a sprawling country garden or a few containers on a balcony.
Soil Preparation – The Foundation of Garden Success
My first job every March is sorting out the soil. After winter, most UK garden soil is compacted, waterlogged, and generally knackered. Here's my simple approach:
Do the squeeze test first – grab a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it forms a tight ball that doesn't break apart easily, it's too wet to work. Wait a few dry days before digging.
Once workable, add a good layer of compost or well-rotted manure. I make my own compost (genuinely satisfying and saves a fortune), but garden centre stuff works fine too.
For clay-heavy soil (common in many parts of the UK), add some horticultural grit or sharp sand to improve drainage.
If your soil is particularly acidic (common in Scotland and parts of Wales), now's the time to add lime if needed.
I never dig when the soil's too wet – that creates concrete-like clumps that plants struggle with all season. Patience now prevents problems later!
Starting Seeds Indoors – Getting Ahead Without a Greenhouse
Not everyone has a greenhouse (I certainly don't), but we can still get growing:
Use a sunny windowsill for seed starting – south-facing is ideal but east or west works too
I've had great success with toilet roll tubes as biodegradable seed pots – my teenager laughs at my collection, but they're free and work brilliantly
Seeds to start indoors now: tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, and annual flowers like marigolds and cosmos
For smaller spaces, focus on herbs and cut-and-come-again salad leaves – they give the biggest bang for your buck in limited space
I keep seedlings on trays with old tea towels underneath to protect windowsills. A clear plastic bag over the top creates a mini-greenhouse effect until germination.
Direct Sowing – What You Can Plant Outside Now
Some seeds actually prefer the cooler conditions of early spring:
Hardy vegetables to sow now: broad beans, peas, spinach, radishes, early carrots
Hardy annual flowers: love-in-a-mist, calendula, and sweet peas
For the North: hold off another 2-3 weeks if you're in Scotland or Northern England
For the South: lucky you – you can probably sow even more varieties now
I mark rows with lolly sticks labelled with permanent marker – learned this lesson after playing "garden surprise" for years when I forgot what I'd planted where!
Pruning and Tidying – Selective Spring Cleaning
March is prime pruning time for certain plants:
Roses – cut back to healthy outward-facing buds
Autumn-fruiting raspberries – cut all canes to ground level
Buddleia – prune hard (to about 30cm) for better flowers
Hydrangeas – remove dead flower heads and prune back stems by about a third
Don't go prune-crazy though! Spring flowering shrubs like forsythia should be left alone until after they've finished flowering.
Climate Considerations Across Britain
Living in the UK means dealing with our famously changeable weather and regional differences:
Southern England and sheltered areas: You're about 3-4 weeks ahead of northern regions. Take advantage by starting more tender crops earlier.
Midlands and Wales: Watch the forecast and be ready to cover young plants if frost threatens.
Northern England and Scotland: Focus on hardier varieties and be prepared to delay some tasks until late March or early April.
Coastal areas: You benefit from milder temperatures but watch out for salt-laden winds that can damage young growth.
I always keep old sheets and plastic bottles (with bottoms cut off) ready to protect tender plants from surprise frosts – because let's be honest, March weather can be utterly bonkers.
Small-Space Solutions for Busy Families
Not everyone has a massive garden (or massive amounts of time):
Use vertical space – wall planters, hanging baskets, and trellises make the most of limited area
Choose dual-purpose plants – herbs that look pretty, vegetables with attractive foliage
Get the kids involved with fast-growing crops – radishes show results within weeks, perfect for impatient little ones
Container gardening works brilliantly for salads, herbs, and even dwarf fruit trees
My teenage son started with a single pot of mint years ago (for adding to homemade lemonade) and now tends several containers of his own. Start small and you might be surprised by how the gardening bug catches on!
Weekend Warrior To-Do List
If you only have weekends for gardening, prioritise these tasks:
First weekend: Soil prep and start indoor seeds
Second weekend: Prune and tidy existing plants
Third weekend: Direct sow hardy seeds and plant early potatoes
Fourth weekend: Set up supports for climbing plants and plan what to grow in containers
This approach has saved my sanity over the years – breaking the jobs down makes it all manageable, even with a packed family schedule.
Remember...
Gardening shouldn't feel like another chore on your never-ending to-do list. It's meant to be enjoyable! Start with what feels manageable and expand from there. A few pots of herbs or a small veg patch will still bring immense satisfaction (and tasty results).
My garden isn't perfect or showroom-ready, but it's productive, makes me happy, and provides countless learning opportunities for the family. That's what really matters, isn't it?
Now, where did I leave those gardening gloves...?
